Maths give an inspiring insight into climate change

What actions can we take in the Borders for a greener sustainable future?

The answer, it seems, lies in the maths, as you can discover at the MacArts Centre, Galashiels on Sunday, March 12.

The event is organised by transition town group A Greener Melrose, working with the Greener Borders Winter Talks Network.

Guest speaker Ric Lander, from Friends of the Earth Scotland, will lead climate conversations following the screening of the film, Do The Math - an inspiring insight into the rising movement to solve climate crisis.

Featuring Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, the film tells how our atmosphere has reached saturation point with the waste products of our society.

The film claims that C02, the bi-product of burning fossil fuels, is one of the key polluters and Bill McKibben gives proof of this in the film with simple mathematics.

“We must speed up the transition to sustainable energy within the next few years,” he says. “The planet can’t wait!”

It’s simple math: we can emit 565 more gigatons of carbon dioxide and stay below 2°C of warming — anything more than that risks catastrophe for life on earth.

McKibben continues, “We know what the solutions are for dealing with this trouble.

We now have many of the technologies we need to get off fossil fuel and get on to something else.

“But enormous political power, wielded by those making vast windfall profits off fossil fuels, prevents us from making this change”.

You only need to understand three numbers to know why action is required to address climate change.

Anyone who is concerned about these issues and would like to join in the post-film discussion, should come along to MacArts at 3 pm to see the film, enjoy a Fairtrade cuppa and join in the debate. Entry is by donation and all ages are welcome.